A cap table, short for capitalization table, is the formal record of a company’s equity ownership. It shows who owns shares or options, how much each stakeholder holds, and how ownership changes after new funding, conversions, or exits. For startups, it is one of the core documents used to track founders, employees, angel investors, venture funds, and any special rights attached to their holdings.
In cyber security, cap tables matter because they are high-value source documents that influence legal control, pricing, and trust in a deal. Attackers may target them through phishing, spoofed payment requests, or document tampering to mislead investors or alter transaction records. Defenders protect cap tables with strong access control, audit logs, encryption, version tracking, and verified communication channels. Clean cap table management also reduces disputes and helps diligence teams spot inconsistencies before they become fraud or operational risk.